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Black Fork Mountain Trail

Trail on Big Creek in Ouachita NF, Black Fork Mountain Wilderness, Ouachita Mountains near Black Fork, AR

A ridgeline hike to one of the highest peaks in Arkansas

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Length

4mi

Trail Number

#78

Summary

The Black Fork Mountain Trail follows the ridgeline of Black Fork Mountain in the Ouachita National Forest and terminates at its peak. The trail lies mostly inside the Black Fork Mountain Wilderness. From the trailhead on Hwy. 59, it is an approximately 5.5 mile hike to the summit with 2000ft of elevation gain. This is a wilderness trail, and it is poorly marked and maintained. The last 1 1/2 miles of the trail are particularly difficult to follow and overgrown with briars.

Points of Interest

Several areas along the trail provide sweeping vistas across the Big Creek/Ouachita River Valley, primarily within the last mile to the summit. The summit itself provides stunning 360 degree views. The wreckage of Texas International Airlines Flight 655 is located closely off the trail on the north side of the mountain. A large “Rock Glacier,” a talus-field-type area very uncommon in Arkansas, can also be found directly off the trail.